Unintentionally Perfect

Dad asked me to indicate thumbs up or down if the medication I'm taking is helping my laryngitis. With a flat hand I waggled it in the middle and then shifted to a slight thumbs up.

Then with some difficulty I said, "Hard to say."

Unintentionally the most perfect thing I could've said.


10 years ago on TTaT: Spawn of the ladybug

Life of Art SitRep #299 Abridged

Hola, gentle readers! Mostly behind the scenes efforts again this week. A bit derailed switching to another computer and figuring out which files will open and which won't and what I need to go back and export.

Shot 97 photographs.

Uploaded 10 media files (product photos) to my store.

Made Christmas Wreath with Monogram Holiday Party Plate Porcelain Plate (added monogram), also updated sticker with monogram.

Christmas Wreath with Monogram Holiday Party Plate Porcelain Plates by RocklawnArts
See other party plates

Christmas Wreath Envelope Seals, Custom Monogram Classic Round Sticker by RocklawnArts
See other Geometric christmas wreath Stickers

Remade Underwear Out To Dry card to fix an issue.

Underwear Out To Dry Thank You Card by RocklawnArts
Browse more Out to dry Cards

Added coordinating links for gift wrap, ribbon, tissue paper, stickers to descriptions for Black Quadrilateral Stripes on White with Monogram, Red and Green Gingham Pattern, and Geometric Christmas Wreath.

Added coordinating links for cards, stamps, return address lablels, stickers to descriptions for Geometric Christmas Wreath.

Watched Zazzle Chat - "Designing for New Holiday Products".

Finished reading Popular Photography June 2015 issue.


10 years ago on TTaT: Closet thoughts

Another series of autumn sightings

Two horses, two donkeys, a beaver dam, autumn splendor both pre- & post-peak, and a fiery sunset with clouds, sometimes obscured by tall trees or mountains but all the more breathtaking when a clear view opened up.


10 years ago on TTaT: It's about bloody time and For a moment...

Lumberjanes, Vol. 2: Friendship to the Max

74. Lumberjanes, Vol. 2 by Noelle Stevenson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A fun all ages read. This volume ties up the main mystery started in volume 1.

Our main protagonists continue their adventures. Nice to see girls who are smart, capable, loyal, and with a variety of strengths.

Friendship to the max!


10 years ago on TTaT: A little mischief

Life of Art SitRep #298 Behind the scenes, again

Never feels like I've accomplished much when I spend a week devoted to the back end of my store, but I've become convinced that the overwhelming number of title, tag, description adjustments I'm slogging through are critical for my success.

Updated descriptions and tags for 5 more designs and realized it might be better to change my approach even though it will take epically longer. However, each small thing I finish will be done instead of needing an additional pass which is an improvement.

I culled some more products which helps reduce the overwhelm a bit. Also moved a lot of templates to a culled folder. I'm getting a better idea of which product types I want to focus on going forward.

Rocklawn Arts blogged New Black Quadrilateral Stripes on White with Monogram pattern and New Winter Holiday Cards, Stamps, Labels, and Seals Collection.

Made a 6x9 wrapping paper template.

Varied titles, descriptions, tags for Flowering Rhubarb Stalks.

Updated descriptions and tags on cases, sleeves, and USB flash drives for Black Quadrilateral Stripes on White with Monogram. Also added related product links for matching sets to postage, cards, postcards, stickers, and return address labels. Click any of the following products and check out the description to take a look:

Black Quadrilateral Stripes on White with Monogram Greeting Card by RocklawnArts
Shop for a card with zazzle.com

Black Quadrilateral Stripes on White with Monogram Postcard by RocklawnArts
Browse more Black quadrilateral stripes on white Postcards at Zazzle

Black Quadrilateral Stripes on White address label by RocklawnArts
See more Black quadrilateral stripes on white Labels at zazzle.com

Black Quadrilateral Stripes with Monogram – Medium Postage Stamp by RocklawnArts
Create your own stamps at zazzle.com.

Black Quadrilateral Stripes on White with Monogram Square Sticker by RocklawnArts
Make my own stickers online at zazzle.com

How was your week?


10 years ago on TTaT: What are the odds?

Additional Silent Observations

A few more thoughts or lessons from laryngitis I forgot to add the other day in my post, From Voiceless to Silent.

Other staple gestures: waving (mostly hello but the sometimes vigorous waving is for attention drawing), nods, head shakes, both hands palms up, pointing to myself or you, pointing to my eye (I saw it).

Why not just learn sign language? I was tempted but for it to be useful, the people I'm trying to communicate with would also have to learn it. That's where it falls apart. I have been using the sign for "thank you" which I believe comes across in context. (Thank you again, West Wing, for teaching me so many useful tidbits.)

My sibling suggested I teach my parents semaphore. Again problematic because they wouldn't learn it, but it did remind me of the Monty Python semaphore version of Wuthering Heights which made me laugh.

The curious thing about all of my hand gestures is that it inspires people to respond in kind, like they want to play too. Even though my hearing is fine. My dismayed head shake is meant to convey, "Dude. You can talk, so talk." We need not compound comprehension difficulties. It's mostly come across. I can always ramp it up to eye roll if necessary.


10 years ago on TTaT: Struggling to do the wrong thing

From Voiceless to Silent

Almost three weeks ago, I got a sore throat. It hurt to talk, so I didn't. It progressed into the first legit cold I'd had in a long time with all the grisly symptoms plus laryngitis.

After a week and a half I started feeling better, more sociable. I tried to talk but my voice would fade out after a couple sentences and my throat would start feeling uncomfortable. I revised my approach, single words like the One Word Test from Doctor Who:



But too often there was not enough context or the word would be missed and I'd have wasted my throat for nothing.

I tried hand gestures a la Charades but that too was mostly a bust. I wanted to participate but what I was becoming best at conveying was exasperation.

If what I could say or convey was limited, what did I want to say?

Most of what had been crossing my mind in the course of others' conversations was unimportant. Interjections that weren't worth the effort. Their absence actually made things smoother.

I sat back.

One of the nice things about people not expecting you to talk is that you don't have to answer a lot of extraneous questions. There are less interruptions to my day, less demands on my attention.

Oddly, I think I smile more. Possibly because my reactions have been reduced and simplified.

Thumbs up, thumbs down, shoulder shrug. Pointing is not as effective as I thought it would be.

Rarely I write notes. Sometimes I draw air letters. I'm pretty good at drawing them backwards to be correct for the viewer.

And occasionally I bust out the pantomime. But now, for the most part, instead of exasperation I embrace the hilarity of it.


10 years ago on TTaT: The New Desktop

Eye-catching Mid-autumn Sighting

Though many leaves have fallen, there are still a lot of yellow leaves on the maple trees I can see from my windows.

A swirl of leaves and what I thought for a moment were falling pine needles filled the view, a turbulent sea of yellow-orange. Then I saw more clearly: not pine needles but streaks of snow illuminated by the sun.

Golden and strange.


Ten years ago on TTaT: I have an underwear drawer!

Life of Art SitRep #297 Quadrilateral Stripes or when names get stranger

Let's see where I am this week...

Shot some photographs at a lake near sunset. Tried to capture some fall foliage before it rains, gets windy, and possibly snows this weekend. Haven't uploaded them yet.

Added a new design to my shop, Black Quadrilateral Stripes on White with Monogram. The title is certainly a mouthful but felt precise and distinct from my other black and white patterns. (Yes, in another life one of my majors was math.)

Black Quadrilateral Stripes on White with Monogram by RocklawnArts
Browse Black quadrilateral stripes on white Cases

Black Quadrilateral Stripes on White with Monogram Carved® Cherry iPhone 6 Bumper Case by RocklawnArts
See other Black quadrilateral stripes on white Wood Cases

Black Quadrilateral Stripes on White with Monogram Greeting Card by RocklawnArts
Shop for a different greeting card template online at zazzle

Fancy Black & White Stripes and Diamonds Gift Wrap by RocklawnArts
Check out other Black and white geometric Wrapping Paper at zazzle.com

Black Quadrilateral Stripes on White with Monogram Spiral Note Books by RocklawnArts
Look at more Black quadrilateral stripes on white Notebooks at zazzle

Black Quadrilateral Stripes on White with Monogram Binder by RocklawnArts
Make unique customized binders at Zazzle.

Fancy Black & White Chevron Stripes Fabric by RocklawnArts
Browse Black and white geometric Fabrics

Created new collections, Red and Green Geometric Pattern Christmas Cards:

Red and Green Geometric Pattern Christmas Cards
by Claire E. Skinner

and Winter Holiday Cards, Stamps, Labels, and Seals:

Winter Holiday Cards, Stamps, Labels, and Seals
by Claire E. Skinner

Updated descriptions and tags for 11 designs.

Rocklawn Arts blogged New Christmas Wrapping Supplies Collection and New Red and Green Geometric Pattern Christmas Cards Collection.

Updated Shop pages on both blogs.

Updated LOA and links files.

Finished monthly backups. Have you backed up lately?


10 years ago on TTaT: I confess

Life of Art SitRep #296 Sick Days

Colds are a real drag, you guys. It'd been a good while since I'd had a true and proper knockdown cold. Saying "cold" sounds so insufficient, like I should just be able to "tough it out." Tried that for a bit but noticed I wasn't feeling any better so backed off. I wanted to get so much more done this week. The severe laryngitis has not helped either.

But a few things got done this week so I shall celebrate those and hope to do better next week.

Shot a bunch of photographs. Couldn't say how many because I have yet to upload them all.

Made Christmas Wrapping Supplies collection featuring red and green designs on wrapping paper, ribbon, tissue paper, and stickers:

Christmas Wrapping Supplies
by Claire E. Skinner

Updated descriptions and tags for 24 designs.

Changed featured collection on my home page from wallet iPhone 6/6s cases to iPhone 6/6s plus wood cases.

Culled my products a little more.

Started my monthly backups. Still a bit further to go. Have you backed up lately?


10 years ago on TTaT: Erosion, in real time

Home-grown Carrot Round-up

Over the past few months, I've been chowing down on three types of carrots grown from seeds: Mokum hybrid, Short & Sweet, and Little Finger.

I did not choose them as I never would've considered a carrot seed called "Little Finger" to be appetizing. And I would've been right. Little Finger is my least favorite of the three. I'll go further and say that I actually prefer grocery store baby carrots over these. Little Finger carrots lack a satisfying snap when you bite into them. And they aren't sweet.

Second place goes to Short & Sweet. I like them better than grocery store carrots, but they are weirdly shaped. Kind of like a turnip or a top, wedge shaped.

The Mokum hybrid carrots are in another league. Sweet, tasty, great snap. By far and away my favorite.

On a scale of 1 to 7, where higher numbers are better:

Mokum hybrid: 7
Short & Sweet: 4
Grocery store baby carrots: 3
Little Finger: 2

Do you have a particular carrot you love? Share it in the comments.


10 years ago on TTaT: Show and Tell: My Closet

Sensation Comics Featuring Wonder Woman, Vol. 1

70. Sensation Comics Featuring Wonder Woman Vol. 1 by Gail Simone

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


A diverse collection of stand-alone Wonder Woman stories by different writers and artists. Individually I'd rank a few stories as 4's, a couple 2's, and the rest 3's.

I'm less fond of the retro drawing and storytelling comics, but there's a wide variety of villains, locations, and allies in this collection with some I really liked, particularly at the beginning and end of the book.

Each story is self-contained which is a nice change of pace and a fun way to explore Wonder Woman's character.


10 years ago on TTaT: Baggage, please. Would you like to super-size that?

Life of Art SitRep #295 Division

This week, I continued my Hudson River painter exploration and went to Thomas Cole's house, Cedar Grove. There I saw the rest of the River Crossings exhibit, Thomas Cole paintings and the grounds.

The house is less exciting than Olana which I saw last week, but I enjoyed the experience more because I went on a day you could self-tour the house and the staff was low-key and friendly. Also you could take pictures inside as long as you don't use flash. Naturally most of mine were dark and horrible, but I enjoyed snapping away nonetheless. Pro tip: shooting short videos can yield better exposure sometimes in low light if you're just looking for a record of the experience and not something to print.

Also went back to the lower Olana grounds (free if you're not touring the house), and explored a bit more. Shot 237 photographs and videos between both venues.

Updated 26 product's descriptions and tags.

Did some more selective culling of products.

Divided out Bold Bordered Diamonds from Diamond Patterns, a lengthy process of new folders, links, titles that will hopefully prove beneficial to search engines. More work to be done, as always, but a significant hurdle has been leaped (or achingly climbed over).

Updated LOA for end of month.

Updated links file for newly named diamond square designs.

How was your week?


A year ago on TTaT: No More Flight